Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-12-28
WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 2s, 1881
Who Arc the NulnAors?

Mr.. HaLSrKAD seems 10 have become
the leading editor in the Republican
party. He owes his promotion-h he has
thus been promOted--tO the fact that day
after day. in season and ont OF season
he waves the bloody shirt and demands
a new crusade against the South. lie
would place the southern States under
the iron heel of the Federal Government
as they lay in reconstruction days
and have all Of them represented
in Congress by unprincipled scalaWags
sni Garnet bsggcrs. He speaks con-
temptuously Of the Republican papers
of New York. and claims that they rep
resent a mere commercial or mercenary
sentiment and not the real wishes OF the
people of the North, especially not the
wishes Of the Republicans OF the Great
West He exposes his ignorance by
claiming that Congress has the power to
deprive State of portion OF
its representation in Congress be-
cause OF the unauthorized acts OF
lawless men. In staring black letters he
quotes the fourteenth amendment rs
fully justiiying Federal laws which the
Supreme Court Of the United States
would declare null and void without
waiting to hear an argument on either
side of the question. N his OWN elegant
phrase. be holds that the fourteenth
amendment has been and is "brutally
nulifed" in several of the southern
States
The South gained, let Us say, sixteen
congressmen under the operation Of the
fourteenth amendment. But the State
of New York alone Las thirty-six con-
eressmen. And that State has been so
dis;ricteI 10y Republican Legislatures as
TO "nullify brutally the right Of ma
iority Of the people there TO rule the
State and choose a majority OF Its LeGls-
lature New York Is Democratic STATE
governed 10y a Republican Legislature.
New York placed Mr.. CLEVELAND IL the
presidential chair and Mr.. HUI in her
gubernatorial chair, and she IS represent
ed in the House Of Representatives by a
delegation a majority Of whom are Dem
ocrats but for all that she is under tnt
heel OF oppressors. She Is governed at
home by a minority party. Like New
Hampshire aud Connecticut, New York Is
so disuicted for the election Of members
10 the General Assembly that it Is an
impossibilitv for the Democratic ma
jority OF voters 10 elect Demo
cratic majority Of legislators And
what is the consequence? In the
United States Senate at this time
the Democratic State OF New York
IS represo nted by tso Republican scna-
tors. The fourteenth amendment, If We
nav say 80, Is as - brutllly rul.itied IN
New York as in Mississippi. The Re-
publican majority in the United States
Senate is due 70 that "bIatal nuliihca-
ton" If New York aud Connecticut
we're represented there by Demo
Gratis, as they ought 10 be-, the Demo
cratic party would have good majority
in that boty. Having this, they
would control both houses Of Con
eress, and with Mr.. CLEyTLAND's assist
ance could pass for the reduction
OF taxes the lave which the country 50
greatly needs, The Repablicans in New
York practically dislranchise tens Of
thousands Of Democratic voters but Mr..
HALsTEAD has never word % say III
condemnation Of the wrong. Shall We
pronounce him a mere hypocrite?